Three thousand years ago, priests at Chavín de Huántar led pilgrims into a labyrinth of dark stone galleries beneath a temple, where at the heart of the maze stood a carved granite pillar, the Lanzón, depicting a fanged deity. The Chavín culture, flourishing between roughly 1200 and 500 BC, spread its art and religious ideas across much of the Andes, and its temple complex in the Mosna valley is one of the most important archaeological sites in South America, inscribed by UNESCO in 1985. Look out for the cabezas clavas, carved stone heads that once projected from the temple walls, showing a transformation from human to jaguar or bird.
The site sits in a deep valley on the eastern side of the Cordillera Blanca, the highest tropical mountain range in the world, and the journey there is spectacular. From Huaraz, the road climbs past Catac and the Laguna Querococha, a turquoise lake beneath glaciated peaks, before entering a tunnel at around 4,500 metres and descending steeply into the Conchucos valleys on the other side. The town of Chavín, small and friendly, sits beside the ruins and has a modern museum displaying many of the original carvings.
The road from Huaraz is paved but narrow, with tight hairpins, steep gradients and spectacular drops, and it is often affected by landslides and rockfalls in the rainy season from December to March. The altitude is a serious consideration, both for you and your bike: give yourself time to acclimatise in Huaraz before riding, carry water and warm clothing, and expect your engine to feel noticeably weaker at altitude. The dry season, from May to September, is the best time to ride, with clear skies and mountain views.
Huaraz, about forty kilometres away as the crow flies but much further by road, is the main base, with fuel, mechanics, hotels and restaurants. Fill up before you leave and do not count on finding fuel along the road. Chavín town has simple restaurants serving trout and local dishes, and a couple of guesthouses for those who want to stay the night.